I hope I didn't miss someone already discussing this. I would love to see for the SDK, rather than all of the EZ-B functions in my program, the ability to create my own controls for things that ARC and even EZ-B don't talk to today and add them to the ARC framework so they can be activated by scripts.
This way I don't have to re-invent everything you already can do in ARC, I could just add my own functions to it (and we could share those functions back to you for inclusion in future releases if they meet your coding standards).
For instance, this USB Laser Guided Missile shooter http://www.thinkgeek.com/clearance/8bc4/#tabs has an SDK for C#. I would love to be able to have a script in ARC use face or movement tracking to send aiming and fire instructions to the device.
Short of this, just a control that could call external programs or web services and pass parameters would work. I could write a little missile control app with basic input parameters and have ARC tell it what to do.
Alan
It would be Awsome if people could make like "addons" in SDK which people could use in EZ- Builder. Then people could add new functions them selves, they could even share it with the rest of the community. You could "hack" the rocket turret, I'm working on a real version though, but it's hard finding the fuel. I'm trying a version with matchheads, but I'm was smart enough to try and to disolve resolve them in water which didn't work... So about another week of waiting before it's dry...
For real rockets, I would just use ESTES model rocket engines. They can easily ignite with an electric starter you could run off a relay and one of the EZ-B ports to trip the low voltage side. Making your own fuel is scary.....
Although I probably won't go through with part 3 in reality, my plan is that when the robot is on "patrol" and identifies in intruder, it will use face tracking to aim the laser on the turret a foot below the face and hit them with a nerf rocket. The voice will then say "My next shot will be an indelible paint ball so that the police, whom I have already notified, will be able to identify you. If you are still present after that, my third shot will be a bullet, so that the police can find your body. Goodbye...." (then repeat in Spanish).
But now that you mention real rockets, I like that. Not necessarily lethal, but scary as all get out.....
Alan
Making rocket fuel isn't that scary, as long as you don't make large quantities and then stick it in a tube that is closed on both ends and you have a fuse sticking out. The rockets I'm thinking about are only 2 inches long (maybe made from a ballpoint) and hopefully burn as long as possible. They will probably made of plastic and will be tested of a robot
EDIT: I would change the bullet to a tazer, bullets will make a mess... And if someone you know enters the house, maybe you son/daughter/friend or who ever, you might kill that person un wanted.